Can-top remover



May 10, 1927.

E... VAN L EUNEN GANTbP REMOVER ile-a April 1926 (Qmss (a. frt

Patented May 10, 1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR VAN LEUNEN, or Lone BEACH, camromrm CAN-TOP REMOVER;

Application filed April 5, 1926. Serial No. 99,865.

An object of this inventionisto provide cheap, sim 1e, convenient and easil assembled and operated device for readi y removing the tops of cans.

5 The invention relates to that class of can openers in which there are two gears and two shafts that are relatively shifted by the movement of two members: one of said gears being connected to a circular cutter and the other to a driving wheel, which is in fixed relation to a shaft that is adapted to revolve the driving wheel and the gears and cutter when the gears are in mesh, and-the shaft is turned. a

The invention is broadly new, basic and pioneer in that there are combined with the cutter shaft and driver shaft, that carry the cutter and driving wheel, two levers comprising shanks fulcrumed together at one end and provided with handles at the other end and provided between the fulcrum and the handles with reversely obli ue slots that unitedly form a shaft bearing t at is shiftable along the levers as the levers are swung on the fulcrum; the shank of one of said levers being rovided with a shaft bearing between the fu crum and the slots, and the shank of the other lever being constructed to afford shaft clearance between the fulcrum and the slots so that the levers may be relatively swung to shift the shiftable shaft along the shanks to and from gear meshing position; and in the preferred form, the bearing formed by those united slot terminals which are nearest the fulcrum, is'alined with the centers of the fulcrum and the intermediate hearing so that when the handles are swung toward each other the gears are meshed; and the slots are of such length and obliquity to the mid-line of the implement that when the handles are swung apart, the gears are moved out of mesh.

In this novel construction and arrange ment the two levers and their handles are formed of similar stampings of thick strong sheet metal which are each provided with a bend between a handle and a shank with three holes that are alike except that the intermediate hole of one of the levers is elongated transversely of the lever to afford clearance for the shaftthat is to be moved in such hole, and that is journalled in the intermediate bearin All the lever anrf handle stampings may first be formed at one stamping operation and all may be punched alike and then onehalf of the number may be punched to enlarge the intermediate hole transversely to afford the desired shaft clearance, and in assembling the levers, those having the clearance may be turned over and placed on top of the levers having the intermediate bearing so that while the shanks are superposed, the handles are spread apart to afford a grip for the hand of t e user.

The levers may be of any desired contour,

but each is preferably provided with a bend at the root of the handle just beyond the slots so asto afford a secure grip for the hands.

The construction is adapted for conveniently forming a bottle cap remover at the end of one of the handles and the other handle is readily adapted for suspension or attachment to means by which it may be secured against being carried away from the place of use.

The invention includes the novel combination and the novel stamping forming the levers adapted to be fulcrumed together and to receive and carry the parts in operative position, and enable them to be operated in a simple and convenient manner.

An object of the invention is to provide a can top remover comprising two handle members for separating and for returning to action a circular cutter and a roller, with great convenience.

An advantage of this invention is that it allows the mechanism carrying portions of the handle to be narrow and compact; and the actuating slot surface to be. of minimum length, and the bearing for such, surface to be of maximum width as compared with the width of the mechanism carrying portibns of the handles; that affords forcible leverage within minimized space. and that is adapted to be constructed with duplicate handle pieces that become complementary by simply turning one of such pieces over before assembly.

In attaining these objects I pivot two handle levers by a pivot in a circular hole and provide between the handles reversely arranged oblique slots that cross each other at an acute angle to accommodate the stub shaft of the cutter and I provide each handle with a loose bearing between its oblique slot and the pivot to journal a key shaft ada ted to separate the driving wheel and the riving gear.

By this arrangement, the movement necessar to shift the cutter operating gear into and out of mesh with the driving gear and to move the cutter into cutting position is very slight and but little spread of. the handles is required to cause the cutter to disengage a can wall.

The construction and arrangement of this invention also is especially adapted to allow the use of crossed operating levers of such construction that when the cutter is in closed operating position, there is a s ace between the levers into which the en of ones finger may be inserted to separate the handles to withdraw the cutter gear from itsmesh with the driving gear.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the can top remover in position on the top of a can and ready to be closed to insert the cutter through the can wall just below the can top. The can is broken away to contract the view and to expose construction otherwise hidden.

Fi 2 is a top plan of the implement close Fig. 3 is a fragmental bottom plan of the im lement closed.

ig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental side elevation of the implement with the levers and handle members sectioned on line w, Figs 2, 3 and 5; dotted lines indicate the position of the cutter when the handles are spread apart.

Fig. 5 1s a fragmental sectional plan taken on line ar -m", Fig. 4, showing the parts in cutting position.

Fig. 6 is a like view showing the parts in open or can receiving position.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the key journalling lever detached.

Fig. 8 is a plan of the lost motion lever detached.

The levers comprising the handle members 1, 2 and shanks a, b, are each provided at one end with a circular hole 3 forming a bearing for'the fulcrum 4, which is shown as a rivet; and each shank is also provided with a slot 5, oblique to the axis of the shank and said slots correspond to each other in the original stamping but are arranged to cross each other by turning one of the levers. over before the two levers are fulcrumed together by the rivet.

The shanks are provided respectively with intermediate holes 6 and 7; one of which 6 is circular to form a journal bearing and the other 7 is elongate transversely of the handle member to accommodate the key shaft 8, which has a flat shank 9 adapted to be accommodated in the clearance hole 7 and to be journalled in the intermediate journal bearing 6 that is preferably in the undermost lever when the implement is in operation.

The gear 10 is adapted to mesh with the driving gear 11 which is non-rotatable on the key shank 9.

Said key shank is rotatable in the journal bearing 6 and the driving wheel 12 is fixed to the end of the key shaft 8 as by riveting.

The circular cutter 13 has a hub 14 that fits against the underside of the handle memher 1 that has the intermediate journal bearing 6; and said hub is of a length somewhat greater than the thickness of the driving wheel 12, so that when the drivng wheel rests on the top 15 of the can the cutter 13 will be just below the level of the top of the can.

The reversely oblique slots 5 extend obliquely transverse to each other and at their intersection they receive the stub shaft 16 of the circular cutter 18 and said shaft extends through both of said slots and the gear 10 which is provided with an elongated orifice 17 and is fitted on the stub shaft and secured as by riveting said stub shaft.

When the handles are spread apart, the oblique slots 5 act upon the stub shaft to retract it from the driving shaft 8, thus allowing the cutter to be applied outside of the can while the driving wheel is inside the chine 18 of the can in the rim and then when the handles are brought toward each other, the walls of said oblique slots force the circular cutter through the wall 20 of the can and thereupon the operation of severing the can wall is effected in the usual manner by turning the driving shaft.

I claim:

1. A can top remover comprising two levers fulcrumed together at one end and each provided with an oblique slot and an intermediate opening between the fulcrum and such slot; said slots bein arranged to cross each other and one of said openings forming a journal bearing and the other a clearance; a driving shaft journaled in the journal bearing and extending through the clearance, and provided with a handle at one end, a driving wheel at the other end on one side of the levers, and a spur gear on the other side of the levers; a circular cutter having a stub shaft extending throu h the oblique slots; and a gear on the stub s aft to drive the cutter.

2. In a can top remover the combination with a cutter shaft and a driver shaft that carry the cutter and driving wheel of the remover; of two levers com rising shanks fulcrumed together at one en and provided with handles at the other end, and rovided between the fulcrum and the ban les with reversely oblique slots that unitedly form a shaft bearing that is shiftable along the levers as the levers are swun on the fulcrum; the shank of one of sai levers being provided with a shaft bearing between the fulcrum and the slots, and the shank of the other lever being constructed to afford shaft clearance between the fulcrum and the slots so that the levers ma be reversely swung to shift the shiftable s aft along the shanks. to and from gear meshing position.

3. In a can top remover the combination with a cutter shaft and a driver shaft that carry the cutter and driving wheel of the remover; of two levers comprising shanks fulcrumed together at one end, and provided with handles at the other end, and provided between the fulcrum and the handles with reversel oblique slots that unitedly form a shaft armg that is shiftable along the levers as the levers are swung on the fulcrum; the shank of one of said levers being provided with a shaft bearing bet-ween the fulcrum and the slots; and the shank of the other lever being constructed to afford shaft clearance between the fulcrum and the slots so that the levers may be reversely swung to shift the shiftable shaft along the shanks, to and from gear meshing position; the bearing formed by the united slot terminals which are nearest the fulcrum, being on a line with the centers of the fulcrum and the intermediate bearing so that when the handles are swung toward each other the gears are meshed; the slot bein of such length and obliquity to the midhne of the implement that when the handles are swung apart the gears are moved out of mesh.

4. In a can top remover of the character set forth in claim one, levers comprising shanks provided with holes forming a rivet bearing and bearing forming slots, and also forming in one of said shanks a shaft bearing, and in the other of said shanks, a clearance for a shaft.

5. In a can top remover of the character set forth in claim one, levers comprising shanks provided with holes forming a rivet bearing and bearing forming slots, and also formin in one of said shanks a shaft bearing and in the other of said shanks, a clearance for a shaft; said levers also being provided with handles and with a bend between the handles and the shanks so that the handles are spread apart when the shanks are super ose 6. n a can top remover, two lovers of like contour, each comprisin a shank, a handle and a bend between t e shank and the handle, and each provided at one end with a hole forming a fulcrum bearing, and between the handle and such bearing with an oblique slot; one of said levers being rovided between its slot and bearin wit a shaft bearing and the other of said levers being provided between its slot and bearing with a shaft clearance, one of said levers being inverted and superposed on the other lever and adapted to receive a shaft in the slots, and a shaft in the bearing and clearance.

7. The lever stamping to form a part of a can top remover, substantially set forth, said lever comprising a shank and a handle, and a bend, uniting the shank and handle; said shank being rovided' at one end with a hole to form a ulcrum bearing, and provided between the bend and said bearing with an oblique slot, and between said slot and said bearing with an opening.

8. A can top remover comprising two levers pivoted together at one end and crossed upon each other and provided between the cross and the pivot with oblique slots; loose bearings between these slots and the pivot; and a kc and a cutter hub, one mounted in the bearin and the other in the slots and provided with gearing that are drawn into and out of mesh on reverse movements of the handles.

9. A can top remover comprising two levers pivoted together at one end and crossed upon each other and provided between the cross and the pivot with oblique slots, loose bearings between the slots and the pivot, and a key and a cutter hub, one mounted in the bearing and the other in the slots and provided with gears that are drawn into and out of mesh on movement of the handles; said handles being spaced apart to allow the insertion of the finger between said handles to s read the handles apart for the purpose of rawing the gears out of mesh.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 27th day of March, 1926.

EDGAR VAN LEUNEN. 

